1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the epoxidation of olefins by catalytic reaction with cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, the particular improvement being the provision of more than 3 moles of alcohol stabilizer per mole of hydroperoxide in the feed to the epoxidation reaction zone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The catalytic epoxidation of olefinic materials by reaction with organic hydroperoxides is by now a well known reaction. Specifically, this epoxidation reaction employing cyclohexyl hydroperoxide as a reagent is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,983,143 and 3,870,729 as well as in European Patent 0 129 814.
A patent which is especially relevant to the subject of this invention is U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,961. This patent describes the epoxidation of olefins by catalytic reaction of the olefin with cyclohexyl hydroperoxide in the presence of an alcohol stabilizing agent such as tertiary butyl alcohol. The patent teaches that there is a critical ratio of the stabilizing agent to the hydroperoxide, namely that the mole ratio of stabilizer to hydroperoxide must be in the range from 1:1 to 3:1, and preferably from 1.5:1 to 2.5:1,, See column 4, lines 21 through 24 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,961.